Berlin cannot rely on an "erratic" Donald Trump, and it remains unknown whether it can rely on the US as a whole, German chancellor candidate Martin Schulz has stated. Schulz, a Social Democrat (SPD) and the main challenger to Angela Merkel in the upcoming September election, made the comments at a party convention on Sunday. [...]

Most media outlets and politicians often ignore the deadly consequences of US regime change policy, including the rise of Islamic State, according to Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii). “I think that there has been a concerted effort both on the part of some in the media, as well as many in politics, and many in our foreign policy establishment seem to have been advocating for a continua [...]

The answer is crystal clear. For years, Social Security has served as a key source of income for millions of retired Americans. In fact, these days, an estimated 61% of retirees rely on their benefits to provide at least half of their income. The problem, however, is that Social Security was never designed to cover seniors' living costs in their entirety. So when we ask whether the average America [...]

Russian Navy warships launched missiles from the Mediterranean Sea at Daesh targets in the eastern Syrian province of Hama, killing militants and destroying the group's command posts and large caches of weapons, the Russian Defense Ministry said Friday. [...]

A brief trip to Crimea in June 2017 made me understand: Crimea wants to be a part of the "bigger world," but only together with Russia. The theme of economic sanctions against Russia and especially against its region of Crimea is becoming a real bonanza for lawyers. [...]

Matteo Salivini, leader of Italian opposition Lega Nord party, told Sputnik on Friday that the extension of the European Union's anti-Russian sanctions was "absurd," since the restrictive measures were damaging for the economies of both Italy and the entire 28-member-bloc. [...]

Former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has lashed out against the EU, saying that the bloc's policies had brought Ukraine "to its knees," and turned it into a raw material colony. Speaking to Sputnik, Ukrainian political analyst Alexander Okhrimenko said that it was surprising that Kiev expected anything different from the Europeans. [...]

The very fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have held negotiations after a long hiatus is a positive signal, Russian academic Vadim Trukhachev told Radio Sputnik, adding that Merkel's visit to Sochi may have become a step toward lifting sanctions on Russia. [...]

The small city close to the border with Germany was named Austria’s most inspiring place to visit in a recent report. What is it that makes it so special? According to a recent report published by TravelBird, the most inspiring city in Austria isn’t the capital, Vienna, or even it’s second city Graz - it’s the town of Salzburg. [...]

Another U.S. military strike inside Syria — this time, shooting down a Syrian bomber — has escalated tensions with Russia, even opening the possibility that Russian anti-aircraft missiles will target U.S. warplanes, reports Gilbert Doctorow. The Pentagon’s announcement that the U.S. military had shot down a Syrian warplane inside Syrian territory merited only inside-the-paper treatment at [...]

America’s neocons are back pounding the war drums, urging President Trump to escalate U.S. military attacks inside Syria even if that means hitting Russian targets and risking a new world war, reports Robert Parry. The U.S. mainstream media’s near universal demonization of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin – along with similar hatred directed toward Ira [...]

Donald Trump's presidency has descended into farce. The undignified manner in which both he and his adversaries in Washington conduct themselves sits in sharp contrast to the dignity of those countries and governments demonized as enemies of everything the Rome of our time holds dear - namely untrammeled power, greed, and domination. [...]

If the US attacks a Syrian warplane in Syrian skies, it means an act of war. And the US should give an explanation for this, demands Aleksey Pushkov, the head of Russia's Communications Policy Committee. It also means the US wants a divided Syria, he adds. US attack on Syrian plane in Syrian sky is act of war – Russian senator Nach US-Abschuss von syrischem Jet: Russischer [...]

US and British troops this week joined thousands of NATO forces to conduct war games in Poland rehearsing the 'possible' blockade of Baltic states by Russia. Talk about mental blockade. [...]

The US has no right to fly into Syrian airspace where it shouldn’t be and set boundaries but should mind its own business. Otherwise, it is an act of aggression, says former US Congressman Ron Paul. [...]

The European Parliament has passed a nonbinding resolution calling for the reintroduction of visa requirements for American citizens, raising the stakes in a long-running battle over the United States’ refusal to grant visa-free access to citizens of five European Union countries. [...]

A tectonic geopolitical shift happened in Astana, Kazakhstan, only a few days ago, and yet barely a ripple registered in Atlanticist circles. At the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), founded in 2001, both India and Pakistan were admitted as full members, alongside Russia, China and four Central Asian “stans” (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan). [...]

Austrian and Germany have lashed out at Washington over new sanctions against Russia that target the planned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Europe. [...]

Independent Russian military analyst Vladimir Tuchkov outlines why Russia's Su-35S 4++ generation fighter aircraft may soon receive the capability to defeat the US's fifth-generation F-22 Raptor stealth tactical fighter in air-to-air combat. [...]

Hillary Clinton has repeatedly managed to escape from the arms of the law, but it appears that this time the former Democratic presidential nominee may be brought to justice, according to Wall Street analyst Charles Ortel, and it's not the Clinton email case or her "pay-to-play" scheme. [...]

By carrying out extensive efforts toward eradicating terrorism and finding a solution to the Syrian conflict, Russia is providing the West with a priceless, albeit "undeserved," service, Syria’s Ambassador to China and former Ambassador to the United States Imad Moustapha told Sputnik on Friday. [...]

The Russian Defense Ministry released on Friday a photo demonstrating the results of the country's Aerospace Forces' airstrike conducted on May 28 against the headquarters of Daesh terrorist group in the Syrian city of Raqqa. [...]